


The Princess and Her Partner

by thatanonwiththeoc



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, Post-Reveal Pre-Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, hnnng lots of self indulgent cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:14:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27834361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatanonwiththeoc/pseuds/thatanonwiththeoc
Summary: Marinette hurts her ankle after school, but luckily, Adrien's always willing to lend his Lady a hand.Or in this case, a lift. (Literally).
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 31
Kudos: 226
Collections: 2020 JV Art and Fic Trade





	The Princess and Her Partner

**Author's Note:**

> hnnng love me some prpr
> 
> inspired by [this piece](https://nessajjewell.tumblr.com/post/636404334712815616/thatanonwiththeoc-made-a-wonderful-fic-to-go) of fanart by Nessa!

There were very few things that Marinette could say she’d remember forever.

But the way Adrien was looking at her now, right at that very moment, she was sure would never leave her.

Her favorite shade of green looked back at her, and in the ocean of  _ him, _ she was caught swimming. Eyes she was so used to seeing behind a black domino mask now put under a new lens. A side that was her first love and her best friend, all put into one handsome package. No longer did she have to tear herself apart over two boys, when they were really one in the same. No longer were the days when Marinette would be overcome with pangs of guilt for never fully being able to love one for fear of still loving the other. When she finally found out who he was, she knew in both her mind  _ and _ heart that she was his.

_ Entirely _ his.

Oh, and he was carrying her in his arms as well.

There was little more she could do than brace a hand on his shoulder and gape like a fish out of water. What was one supposed to do when the love of their life was looking at them like  _ that? _

Actually speaking to him would be a good start, probably.

“A-Adrien…” She stuttered. Great, she was off to a  _ fantastic _ start already. She should’ve been over this by now! “Adrien.” She cleared her throat, though still shamefully timid under his stupid, gorgeous gaze. “You can put me down now.”

Adrien cocked a brow. “Bugaboo, as capable as I know you to be, I don’t think we need to work your sprained ankle any more than it already has.”

Marinette frowned at the makeshift bandage wrapped around her ankle. “I’ll just walk it off.” She protested, but he refused.

He shook his head. “Nuh-uh. You’re just going to end up tearing it more.”

Marinette groaned into his neck. She hated how right he could be sometimes. And by ‘sometimes’, she meant most of the time. That, and the fact that he could be absolutely insufferable when he needed to be. She loved him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a butt sometimes.

Stupid, caring cat.

They entered the bakery with little more fanfare than the tinkle of a bell and a polite greeting to her parents. She didn’t need to look up from his neck. Marinette could already  _ sense _ the way they exchanged looks at their daughters’ predicament.

“I’ll just be taking Marinette upstairs.” Adrien beamed, as if all was well in the world. “She hurt her ankle after school and I was hoping to take care of her.” Under any other circumstances, she would’ve been smiling right along with him. But as the situation currently was, she was being carried by her best friend, who also happened to be her superhero partner, who  _ also happened _ to be Paris’ it-boy, teen celebrity, Adrien  _ Agreste oh no- _

If she made it past today without turning into a puddle of goo on the floor, it would be one hell of a win in her book.

As they climbed up the stairs, Marinette took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his neck and hold him close to hide her shame. If he noticed the sudden closeness coming from her, he didn’t mention it. Marinette was very much thankful for his silent cooperation.

Adrien sat her down on the chaise once they entered her room. “I’m not going to break, y’know.” Marinette said.

“What? A knight can’t treat his lady like a princess?” He teased, a pink tint in his cheeks that only made him even  _ more _ adorable. Especially knowing that he’d shot her that very same smirk countless times before. Now that she knew where the connections were, they wouldn’t stop coming at her. “Please, let me have this.”

Marinette smiled and bit her lip, as if mulling it over. “I don’t know about  _ that, _ kitty.”

“Please?” He brought his palms together and looked up at her, pleading.

She finally conceded. Those darn eyes. He and Manon must’ve been giving each other lessons. “Alright then.” She crossed her arms and leaned back on the chaise. “Show me.”

All of the mental preparation in the world couldn’t have prepared her for what came next.

“Gladly.” He proclaimed, and he brought his gentle hands down to caress her ankle and calf, slowly and gently bringing it up so it was closer to him. Then, he pressed his lips to the top of her foot in a kiss so faint that she could barely feel it, yet her breath hitched in her throat all the same. God, this boy could drive her crazy and she wouldn’t mind one bit. She liked it when he was just Chat Noir and he was dropping line after line, but seeing himself,  _ himself, _ treating her like royalty…

Yeah, she could get used to this.

She hadn’t noticed she was leaning up and frozen when Adrien got up to whisper in her ear. His breath was warm against her skin. “I’ll be back, princess.”

Pulling herself out of her Adrien-induced daze (pull yourself together, Marinette!), she stopped him before he could disappear below the trapdoor.

“Wait!” She reached out her hand to him. “Where are you going?”

Adrien smiled and tilted his head. “Ice-pack.” He said. “Don’t you worry m’lady, you’re in good hands. Just let me take care of you.” She nodded, and he was gone.

She felt her heart sing at the pet name he always called her. His lady.  _ His. _

But was she?

It was at that moment that Alya rang her phone. After a few fleeting moments of fumbling, she finally pressed answer and brought the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

“Care to tell me why Prince Charming just carried you out of school princess style?” Alya joked, and she could practically see the way the blogger’s eyebrows waggled. Marinette smacked her hand against her forehead. Alya had no grasp just how on the money she was.

“I don’t know, Alya! It’s not like I planned this!” If she did, this would’ve been better than all of her Lucky Charms combined.

Marinette’s gaze scoured the room as Alya gave her reply. “I know you didn’t, but the way that boy looked at you”? Alya whistled through the phone. “I’d frame it if I could. I’d title it: The Look of Innocence.” Alya chuckled at her own joke, as well as Marinette.

“Thanks, Alya.”

“It’s what I’m here for.” Marinette smiled. Alya seemed to be content with that explanation. At least, for the time being. “Now what are you waiting for? Go get some!”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Ha-ha, we’re still just friends.”

Alya hummed “The Eyes say otherwise, Dupain-Cheng.”

Marinette frowned. “Since when were you a people-reader?”

“Ever since I joined the school, actually. Though, you two don’t exactly make it hard.” Alya shot back. “Absolutely transparent.”

The telltale sound of footsteps came from below. “Oh, he’s heading back up. Talk later?”

“Uh-huh.” Alya said. “Bye then, don’t forget to give him a kiss!” Marinette scowled. Though she knew Alya couldn’t see it, she hoped the thought carried through.

“ _ Bye, _ Alya.” Marinette hung up.

Adrien appeared from below the trap door, and as promised, he held an ice pack in his hand. When his gaze landed on her, her heart softened. He sat down at Marinette’s feet and looked up at her, and the sight of him being with her just made her smile. It was weird how his presence could both fluster her and put her so at ease. 

“Everything alright?” He asked.

“It’s fine.” Marinette waved a hand. “It was just Alya.”

“Oh?” Adrien quirked a brow. “What’d she say?”

Marinette felt her cheeks flare up; a dead giveaway. Darn it, kitty. “N-nothing important, really.”

Adrien gently pressed the pack to her ankle, and she could already feel the swelling stop. The person applying it however, was a different issue. “Don’t you mean im- _ purr _ -tant, my love?” Adrien continued putting gentle pressure on her injury as the temperature in her face seemed to double at his ministrations. “Anything concerning you concerns me.” He took her hand and held it against the pack. Taking the signal, she held it against her own ankle. Though, it probably would’ve helped better if she was holding it against the scorching blaze in her face instead.

Adrien took a seat beside her. He curled a finger under her chin and gently nudged her gaze towards him. Now, there was nothing grounding her as she flew all the way to cloud 9. How could she be thinking of anyone else when her closest person was so much closer to her now both physically and mentally? What was she going to do now that they were stuck in this new, weird limbo of a relationship?

What she had with Adrien,  _ Chat, _ was special. Too special.

When they agreed to take the masks off, there were many hugs and tears, all a payoff to two years of friendship, trust, and to the surprise of no one, unconditional love. Maybe not the kind that they were expecting, but still just as valuable to either of them. Marinette  _ certainly _ would take what she could get from him.

But still, what would it be like to be able to kiss him?

In her deepest fantasies, she saw herself sitting on the top of her balcony, kissing his pretty lips until the sun came up. Or they could snuggle in her bed and sleep the morning away until Adrien inevitably had to leave, where she’d beg him to just stay for  _ five more minutes _ before he’d give in and bury his nose into her neck. Anything, she’d take  _ anything. _ A pathetic plea, she was aware. But the yearning in her heart would leave her in a daze every time he left her sight.

Adrien tilted his head as his brows furrowed. “You alright, bugaboo?”

Marinette blinked. His face was no more than a few centimetres away from her own.

“How do you do that?” She said.

His lips curled into the wisps of a soft smile. “Do what?”

“ _ That. _ ” She repeated. “All of the stuff you say and do. It just- looks like  _ breathing _ to you.”

Adrien opened his mouth to reply, but no response came. It was like the answer was on the tip of his tongue, but he was doing his best to word it right.

She was just about to speak up when he said it.

“I love you.”

Marinette froze, the three words ringing around in her mind but not settling anywhere. The ice pack was left dead onto the wooden floor, long forgotten to the boy sitting so  _ close _ to her. Her back was straightened and now she could feel his warm breath caressing her own. What would happen if she leaned in a little closer…?

“You what?” Marinette breathed.

“I love you, Marinette.” His gaze bounced between her eyes. As if he was overwhelmed by the presence of her. “I never stopped.”

The way Adrien was looking at her now was completely different than when he was carrying her home earlier. The boy sitting close to her now looked so completely vulnerable and open, like he was waiting,  _ begging _ for her to answer him. He pursed his lips, as if holding himself back from saying anything more, and she felt the urge to beg him and say anything,  _ anything _ more so she could cling onto every word like a lifeline. The only thing that stopped her from doing so was the fact that he was waiting for her to speak.

Before she could answer him, Adrien moved away from her. The new distance between them may as well have been worlds apart from how cold she felt.

“I-I’m sorry.” Adrien stared at his hands, which were now fidgeting in his lap. Marinette had to resist the urge to replace them with her own. “I didn’t mean to drop that on you like that but I just-” He ran a hand through his hair. “I love you. I  _ love _ you, bugaboo, my lady.” He finally looked back at her, and she could actually see some tears forming in his eyes. “And you make it so  _ hard _ to stop.”

“Adrien…”

“A-and I know you don’t feel the same way.” He began, too caught up to stop now. “You mentioned a boy you love, a-and I guess I really hoped it was me, but it’s not. I get that now, but I think you should know…”

Adrien wrapped his fingers gently around her hand and held it against his heart. Marinette was left speechless

Maybe she shouldn’t use words, then.

“My heart beats for you,” he proclaimed, like he hadn’t just turned her entire world upside down, “and only yo-”

His confession was stopped short when Marinette pressed her lips against his. Marinette felt him freeze into the kiss for half a second before melting into her and wrapping his free hand around her waist. Marinette readily gave into his touch and immersed herself into him more fully. She wanted to show him just how much she loved him. All of the years spent pining, all of the wasted moments, all of it made its way into the back of her mind when she used a hand to cup his cheek.

When Adrien held her closer against him, she arched her back to eliminate any space between them. Marinette was done separating herself from him. She didn’t want to keep second guessing herself, didn’t want to keep robbing herself of the amazing person right in front of her. She was done with that now, so she kissed him like she was. She kissed him like he was the only one that was on her mind, like he was the only thing that mattered in the world.

Of course, that’s because he was.

He was the most important person in both of her lives. She couldn’t possibly imagine living a life on earth without him by her side. He snaked his way into her heart in two of the most wonderful ways possible. It was as loud as a roaring lion and as quiet as a whisper. Still, the end result was the same, with her walking head first into this new wonderful, blissful feeling.

If she wasn’t kissing him, the squeak she let out would’ve caused a whole wave of embarrassment. But as she felt him smile against her lips, she couldn’t find it in herself to care at all. How could she, when she felt so full?

Marinette was taken back to late evenings on the rooftops of the city, where they’d talk both about everything and nothing. That was where she’d deny herself the urge to indulge her curiosity about who it was under the mask. What was the name of the boy who loved to joke with her? What was the name of the boy that she trusted so much to the point where she’d left her life in his hands more times than she could count? What was the name of the boy that she  _ yearned _ to know under the mask no matter how many times she told herself no?

_ ‘His name is Adrien Agreste’ _ She told her past self.  _ ‘His name is Adrien Agreste, and you’re kissing him right now.’ _

“Marinette…” Adrien spoke, his tone taking on a more husky quality which made her  _ melt. _ She didn’t let him say anything more, she needed this. She needed to be closer to him in any way possible.

As she pressed her lips against his again, she let herself melt into the intimacy of the moment. It was slow, gentle and everything in between. She tilted her head to deepen the tender kiss, and Adrien complied. They were both still, yet she felt her head was  _ spinning. _

An eternity kissing him still wouldn’t have been enough when Marinette broke away to fall into a world of green all over again.

Adrien looked back at her, and he smiled.

“I love you too, Adrien.” Marinette confessed. She brought up the back of her hand to brush his bangs out of her face. Adrien blushed, complementing the wide grin at her words. He was so  _ unfairly _ cute. “I’ve only… ever loved you.” And she meant every word.

A beat passed where the only thing in the world was them.

When a tear fell from Adrien’s face, she used her thumb to wipe it, and he leaned into the embrace of her hand. Adrien cupped the back of her neck and leaned his forehead against hers, and they sat together in the gentle embrace of each other’s presence.

No words were spoken, because the need for them was redundant. He loved her, and she loved him, and that was more than what Marinette could  _ dare _ ask for. Her kitty, her love, her best friend…

Her  _ partner. _

In so many beautiful, beautiful ways.

Ways that  _ mattered. _

“I want to be able to call you mine.” Adrien whispered.

“You can.” Marinette croaked, as if she was speaking for the first time in her life. She looked into Adrien’s eyes and saw all of his adoration and love. So much. “I’ve always been yours.”

Adrien’s mouth formed a broken smile, like he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at her words. Hopefully, it would be the former because she knew that if he started, the waterworks from both of them would never stop.

“I’ve been waiting to hear you say that for so long, now.” He said, and Marinette felt a warmth bloom inside her to know that he wanted this just as much as he did. She was sure that no matter how many lines he threw her, each one would make her feel just as much as the first. It was stupid, but it was theirs.

“I’ll say it as many times as you want me to, chaton.” Marinette spoke with full confidence. She meant every single word she said, and then some. A single kiss wasn’t enough to show him no matter how hard she tried. She loved him, trusted him, wanted him…  _ needed _ him with her. It would be pathetic if it weren’t so beautifully true.

Adrien exhaled in a half-laugh, much to Marinette’s relief. “Be careful, bugaboo. That’s a promise you can’t take back.”

And the way Adrien was looking at her right now, Marinette was sure would never leave her.

A new beginning was just past the horizon, and Marinette couldn’t wait to get there.

“You can bet on it, kitty.”

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: [thatanonwiththeoc](https://thatanonwiththeoc.tumblr.com/)


End file.
